Surface condenser



May 21, 1929. .1. F. KIRGAN. SURFACE cioNDENsER Filed Deo.V 9, 1927 lnvVENoR.

HL/ATORNEY Patented Maty 21, 1929. 1

UNITED STATI-:s

1,713,961 PATENT OFFICE".

JOHN F. KIRGAN, OF EASTON,PENNSYLVANIA, ASSIGNOR TO IiIGERSOIiL-RAND COM- PANY, F JERSEY CITY, NEWJERSEY, A' CORPORATION 0F NEW J'IEJIR.SEIY. A

SURFACE coNDENsER.

Application lled December 9, 1927. Serial No. 238,866.

- `This invention'relates to steam condensers of the surface typel and more particularly to that type in whic the steam is adapted to iow radially into a tubenest toward a centrally disposed air outlet. fr

It ist-an object of this invention to cause the steam to be condensed to flow in greater quantities toward the cooler portion ofthe tube nest in order to utilize the tube condensio ing surface most efficiently in a radial How type of condenser'.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will be in part obvious and in part pointed out hereinafter. l,

In the drawing in which similar reference characters refer to similar parts, v

Figure 1 is a vertical longitudinal section of a condenser constructed in accordance with the practice of the invention, and

Figure 2 is a cross ,sectionof the condenser taken along the line 2-2 of Figure l looking in the direction of the arrows. l

Referring to the drawing, the condenser comprises a casingrA preferably of cylindr1 cal form as shown in Figure 2 Within which is arranged a nest of tubes B spaced from the inner walls of the casing A. The casing A is provided with a steam inlet C and an outlet D for condensate. At its entrance the casing A is furnished with an inlet circulating water box E for supplying water to the tubes B and a discharge water box F at thc end of the casing opposite to the inlet water box E into which the tubes B discharge the' used water.A The tubes B are sealed in tube sheets G to prevent leakage of the circulating water from the water -boxes E'and F to the interior of the casing A.

The nest of tubes B is spaced from the' 40 side walls of the casing A to permit steam to enter the tube nest radially from all sides. The condenser thus constructed is known as a radial flow type since the steam is adapted lto enter the tube bank from all sides and flow toward centrally disposed air evacuating apparatus by means of which the vacuum within the condenser is maintained. To thisv end there is provided a devapolrizer'or cooler comrising a shell H preferably cylindrical in orm and extending continuously the length of the casing A being supported at its ends by suitable brackets J mounted on the tube sheets G. The shell His provided with perforations K and is in this instance cylindrical to house cooling and devaporizing tubes L arranged in a generally cylindrical nest formation surrounding an axially disposed air withdrawal pipe O. If desired, the pipe O may bein two .parts joined at thc end by means of a block the Water boxes E and F and are connected' to suitable vacuum producing apparatus such .as steam jets S. In the general operation of the condenser the vacuum produced in the air withdrawl pipe O draws the steam into the inlet C and from all sides through the nest of tubes B to be condensed. The air and non-condensible vapors are drawn through the perforations K of the shell H into the-interior of the shell Where the air is devaporized by passing around the coolingtubes L and thence through t e perforations Q into the pipe O. The wat r of condensation is Withdrawn by suitable pump (not shown) Aat the condensate outlet D.

Itis the natural tendency of the steam to penetrate the nest of tubes B more deeply in the warmer portions of-that nest. At thecoolerportions of the tube nest nearer the water inlet box E the steam is normally completely condensed at less depth of penetration. To counteract this tendency the perforations K in the casing Hare made of greater size adjacent the cooler portions of the tube nest and decrease in size in the direction of the discharge Waterbox F and the Warmer portions' of the tube'nest. By means of the graduated size of the perforations or'apertures K the resistance 'to' the steam flowing through the tube nest is least adjacent the inlet Water box E and increases in the direction of the discharge Water box F. By this means equal depth of penetration into the tube nest by the steam is'secured. The ad vantage of this arrangement is that the coldfore referred to.

I claim: l. In a surface condenser, a-casing having a steam inlet and an outlet fon condensate, a tube nest arranged Within the casing to permit steam to enter the nest from allsides, and air conveying means centrally disposed in said tube nest and adapted to create greater .resistance to steam flow at certain portions of the tube nest than at other portions.

2. A surface condenser comprlsing a casing, a tube nest arranged wlthln said casing to allow steam to enter radially into said nest from all sides, a devaporizer section axially disposed within said tube nest and having entrance orifices of greater size adjacent certain portions of said tube nest than .at other portions. i

3.` A surface condenser comprising a casing, a tube nest arranged Within said casing vand provided with perforations along its length. Y A Q 4. A steam condenser comprising a sub stantially cylindrical'shell having .Innlet Jfor steam and an outlet for condensate, inlet and discharge Water boxes at opposite ends of the shell, a nest of circulating Water tubes in the shell and spaced from the sides of said shell to permit entrance of steam radially into the nest of said tubes from all sides, a devaporizingr section arranged Within said nest of circulating Water tu-bes comprising a shell eX- tencling continuously the length of said casing and having 'perforations decreasing in size in the direction of the said discharge Water boxes, cooling and devaporizing tubes Within said shell in nest form and a perforated air withdrawal pipe arranged centrally in said nest of cooling and `-devaporizng tubes.

In testin'iony whereof I have signed this specification.

JOHN F. KIRGAN. 

